


CB2 FILES: 2- Parenting

by zoruas



Series: CB2 FILES [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Mirror Room, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-27
Updated: 2018-03-27
Packaged: 2019-04-13 20:24:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14120100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zoruas/pseuds/zoruas





	1. Chapter 1

“You’re glowing again.”

Amandi stopped pacing and put a hand to his head, eyelids fluttering with exasperation. The golden light surrounding him began to fade and disappear.

Vala gave him an amused glance and swung her legs over the side of the building they were standing on. It was around 5 A.M; the sun was just beginning to peek over the clouds in the distance, sending splashes of pink and orange across the sky. Below was the quiet hum of morning city life. They were in one of the more dull sections of the city, far away from the usual crime-infested streets and the high-class center practically crawling with the Guard.

“And you’re sure she’s going to be here?”

“You can’t sense her yourself?” Vala responded tartly.

Amandi gave her a look and she sighed. “Right. Of course I’m sure. Her activities have been pretty linear this past week, always with the same group. I’ve heard bad things about them, so I’ve been keeping a constant watch.”

“What kind of things?” Amandi pressed, tugging at the sleeve of the pale pink shirt he was wearing. Vala was dressed in black gear, her fox mask laid down besides her.

She pursed her lips. “Just a dirty rep. You know how it is. If she gets into any trouble, I’ll be sure to drop down.”

“I should be the one doing that.”

She gave him a sharp stare. “No, no you shouldn’t. You can barely keep your appearance under control.”

“I’m scattered, Val. She’s my daughter. I can channel more.” Amandi responded. With a hint of guilt, she noticed that his eyes were shining.

Vala leaned forward, thoughts racing through her mind. Amandi had always been vague about the essence of the form he was taking on. All she knew was that he was in many, many places at once, and being Emotion, it was his nature to reach into every part of civilization. Everyone he knew from this section was just getting a very, very small piece of him. That fact made her a bit bitter. Recently, his presence had gotten....shakey. Less in his control. She knew what kind of person he was after all this time. He couldn’t let go of this life, and he definitely couldn’t forgive himself for leaving so much behind.

But there were priorities. And as much as she hated to admit it, the bigger picture was much more important than one or two or three people. Amandi would go on, but they would all die one day.

“You can’t risk that, Amandi.” The words came out harsh and she willed her voice to grow kinder. “I...know she’s important to you and me, but some things are...bigger, yeah? We need to be a little bit selfless here, I think.”

“Always the responsible one. I see your point.” He grumbled back. Vala watched, biting her lip as he glared at the ground. “Fine. But if things get too bad, I’m going in.”

Her anxiety melted into relief and she flashed him a grin. “Your faith in me is heartwarming, Amandi.”

“Mm.”

They both took a seat near the edge. The stone below them was rough and cold, and the usual warmth Amandi emitted was flickering further and further out of focus. Regardless, she leaned into him, and he didn’t move as she rested her head on his shoulder. These little moments between them were rare these days, but when they did find the opportunity to indulge in them, she found herself filled with nostalgia- the comforting, bittersweet kind.

After a few minutes of silence, she straightened and glanced at the watch on her wrist. 5:13.

“Okay. They’re usually here around this time.”

Together, they inched towards the edge of the building. Dull steps could be heard from this height, spaced out. She reached for her fox mask, slipped it on, and motioned for Amandi to look over.

He did so for a few tense moments, then backed away. “She’s with two people, dressed in blue.” He breathed. “They’re heading down the alley. She’s being pushed around, doesn’t look too happy to be going with. They’re holding her so she can’t run.”

“Ah.” Vala traced a finger along the side of her mask, deep in thought. With the reputation these people had, it might be a good idea to intervene quickly, before any drastic chain of events could begin moving forward. “I’ll go down there, then.” She stood up and brushed off her knees, reaching for the hilt of her dagger.

Amandi grabbed her hand quickly. “Wait.”

“What?”

“...Be careful, okay?”

Vala pulled away gently.”I’ll be fine. Don’t stress.”

She unsheathed her dagger, favoring its compact size over her larger sword. Gazing over the edge of the building, the breeze rippling around her, she took a deep breath before jumping onto the first metal platform of the fire escape.

***

Many miles away, an hourglass shattered.


	2. Chapter 2

The music is what got to him first.

It was faint but rich, sweeping through the street with a foreboding sense of grace. A light drizzle had started. Drops of rain splashed against the top of the limousine they were sitting in, a faint drumming constant. He was wearing an uncomfortable suit and tie, and she was dressed in a long dark blue dress. The look didn’t suit her- her arms and legs were covered in scars and bruises from years on the job. Her hair was in a long ponytail. On the velvet seat next to her was a long white spear with a lightning insignia. He was seated as far away as possible from it, leaning into the side of the car.

“Are you ready?” She hummed, staring out the window. The moon’s light cast a soft glow against her face; a sharp contrast against her hard features.

“We’re close, right?” Cal asked flatly. “I recognize the song. They’re playing the violin this year?”

“That’s right. Estar picked it himself. It’s a pretty ancient one, I heard. But soothing enough. Why?” Her eyes were filled with amusement as she looked at him. “You like it?”

“I never like going to these things,” he hissed. “This is pointless.”

The moment the words came out of his mouth, he knew he’d said something wrong. Her arm flashed towards him and she wrapped a hand around his arm, digging her nails into his suit. Her face was slashed with sudden, daunting anger. “I’m trying to enjoy my evening. Bringing you along was a courtesy. You’re going to sit down, behave, and show a little respect, alright?”

His tongue went dry, and he was unable to reply. She narrowed her eyes and tightened her grip. “Understand?”

Cal gave her a small nod and she pulled away, taking her place by the window once again. He stared straight ahead numbly. There was a thin sheet of frosted glass separating the two and their driver, and an E logo pattern decorating the sides. It had been about three years since he had seen the inside of one of these. It didn’t take long for his mother to track him down, but asking him to go to a ball with her seemed completely out of character. Their last interaction had been so...violent. He thought he’d never see her again. This time, she seemed different. The front she put up was softer, less harsh than usual, despite her frequent outbursts. Was she trying to get something from him?

“You know, I do care about you.” She said quietly. “You’re too stubborn to admit that to yourself. You should consider it an honor to be here. This is an important event.”

“Yeah.”

“Are you happy?”

“Yeah.”

 

“Are you even listening?”

He gave her an I don’t know, am I? look, and she rolled her eyes. “Fine. Be that way. We’re here.”

Cal glanced out the window. They were speeding past the city streets, breaking into the barren but beautiful land ahead. The grass was lined with cool frost, and a thin forest of trees with soft lavender blossoms bordered the line where buildings morphed into nature. Beyond, a shining beacon glittered among the starry sky. Thin golden poles stretched from the ground. At the top of all of them was a blinding white coliseum. Marble archways hovered above the poles, meeting at the very top of the seemingly floating building, where an E flag proudly soared. Below the flag were large golden letters- A U R U M.

Cal hated this place. The memories and message it carried were vile, but the architectural mastery took his breath away.

The limousine slowed to a gentle halt right in front of the base of the coliseum, and he watched with a hint of disgust as his mother grabbed her spear and plastered a dignified smile across her face. The door next to him slid open and he quickly stepped out. The driver, a middle-aged halfing in a blue uniform, tipped his cap to him. Cal nodded and leaned against the side of the car.

Moments later, his mother stepped out, long blue fabric flowing out from behind her. 

“Your service is appreciated,” she said to the driver. “The Ball will be completed in four hours. We’ll wait for you at this exact spot.”

“Noted, madame.” The halfling responded. He stood around for a few moments, expecting a tip, but when it was clear he wasn’t going to get one, he scurried back into the car and backed out of the road.

His mother watched the limousine drive away with a hint of disgust. “What did he expect, sitting around like that?” She began to walk towards the Aurum, spear trailing along the ground.

Cal followed with a start, exerting a bit of effort to keep up with her sharp pace. “A tip, maybe?” 

“A tip?” She repeated incredulously. “No city rat deserves a tip for giving service that we deserve. I protect those streets. If anything, I should be demanding a tip.”

The pair stopped in front of the Aurum’s poles. A thin black screen protruded about five feet from the ground. White text shone brightly from it:

P L E A S E S C A N B E L O W:

Under the message was a rippling screen. His mother stepped forward and pressed a scarred hand to it. A blue light shone from under it.

“Recognized. Commander Adeline Rivera.” A robotic voice rang through the cool night air.

She stepped away, and Cal moved to place his hand on the screen. Her hand shot forward and grabbed his wrist.

“No.” She said sharply.

“No?”

Cal stared at her. When he was younger, the system had always recognized his hand. She had designed it herself- it was technologically advanced enough to keep up with the constant molecular shifting a changeling that was specifically registered would go through. She had punched him into the system herself. What was different now?

“I removed you from the system when you left, as a safety precaution.”

Wrist growing numb, Cal glanced back at the screen. “You registered me when you decided to bring me to the Aurum, though? Right?”

Her grim face told him all he needed to know. With a surge of anger, he wrenched his arm away from her grasp.

“As stupid as that was,” he snapped, “you were right about one thing. I was never going to come back. The system doesn’t need to waste data on someone who isn’t going to enter another one of these shitty buildings again.”

His mother regarded his words. His gaze flicked down to her hands- they were clenching over and over, as though she was trying to control herself. After a few tense moments, she started tapping away at the screen. 

“There. One time registration. Hurry up.”

Fighting the urge to leave the scene, Cal gave her a venomous glare and pressed his hand to the screen. A green light shone under his, and the robotic voice played again:

“Recognized.”

Finally, the screen began to move backwards and a deep shifting noise filled the air; a sleek black platform bordered by golden railings was slowly coming down. It hovered inches above the ground, and the gate gave a clicking noise and creaked open. His mother brusquely stepped onto it.

Cal followed silently. She reached forward to close the gate and spoke:

“Floor three, Ballroom.”

A melodic tone acknowledged the order and they began to rise, the shadows of the arches and walls above dancing across their faces. A jarring metal-on-metal screech filled the air as the dark surface above began to slide open. The platform rose through it, and the loud noise morphed into the chatter typically associated with large party rooms filled with people immersed in conversation.

The ballroom was absolutely enormous. The ceiling was filled with sparkling crystal chandeliers and artificial frost. Below, circular golden tables were scattered across the floor, brandishing elaborate dishes and glasses of food and drink. People wearing intricate clothing conversed in circles- in the front of the room were two entrances behind curtains that led to balconies. In between them was a large stage with E logo banners hanging above it. A band of people dressed in all white sat on the stage, holding a diverse array of instruments. Their faces were eerily solemn.

His mother opened the gate once again and gestured for him to exit. Black dots danced across the edge of his vision as curious gazes turned towards him. Everyone’s eyes were glassy, too glassy; he was finding it hard to breathe.

The feeling was gone as quickly as it happened. People started to walk towards his mother, who swept forward to meet them with a large smile on her face. Cal felt hate race through his veins at the artificial way everyone was greeting each other. Their gazes flicked over him, completely ignoring his presence. Eyes flashing, he turned around and headed for one of the balcony entrances. As he passed the stage, the person holding the violin gave him a piercing stare.

The air outside of the room was significantly clearer. He closed his eyes as he leaned against the railing. His head was pounding with a mixture of anger and tension. With a deep sigh, he opened his eyes and gazed out into the distance. The city line was, strangely, extremely dark.

“Cal.” A sudden voice sounded behind him.

He jolted in place and glanced over his shoulder. His mother was standing in front of the curtain, holding her spear. Her eyes were dark with anger.

“I didn’t bring you here so you could embarrass me in front of the city. People are asking for you.”

“Are they?” He asked, fighting to keep his tone flat. 

“Come with me. Now.”

Cal didn’t move. With a start, he realized his legs were growing too numb to move regardless. 

Heels clicked on the floor, and he felt his mother’s breath on the back of his neck. Electricity crackled through the air.

“You’ve been nothing but disrespectful this night,” she hissed. “This isn’t up for debate.”

“Just tell them I’m getting some fresh air, or something.” He responded tiredly. “We don’t need to make a big deal out of this.”

She snorted, and he heard her heels clicking away again. He breathed a sigh of relief.

After a minute or two, he felt something soft brush against his legs. He looked down. A small black cat with thick fur and unusually large yellow eyes was staring up at him. 

“Tara!” He leaned down to pick her up, surprised. “How did you get here? I left you back in the city!”

She gave a loud meow, tail flicking and eyes wide. His vision began to blur at the edges again as he stared into the twin moons. The scene was rippling, light was flickering through, everything went black, and-

He gave a gasp as he resurfaced. He was sitting on a large lab chair, a hundred reflections of it staring back at him from the mirror walls. He was sweating profusely, breathing quick and panicked as he looked around. A loud shattering sound pierced the air.

He snapped his gaze in its direction- she was standing there, a screen at her feet, breathing heavily. Shards of glass lay in a pool of strange black liquid, a stark contrast against the blinding white tiled floor. Blood was running down her hand.

“It was...it was…” Cal struggled to speak as he leaned against the chair, limbs shaking. Memories were slowly coming back to him.

“It was a failure.” His mother snapped, voice ice cold. “It didn’t work.”

“I’m…” Cal ran a trembling hand through his hair. “Sorry. Sorry.”

She didn’t respond, snatching her spear up and turning towards the door. “Clean up that mess.” With a final stormy look, she slammed the door shut behind her.

Cal stepped onto the floor and crouched next to the glass. He began to pick up the pieces, wincing as they cut into his hands. Blood was dripping into the floor, and he watched in dismay as it slowly trailed through the space between the tiles and came to a rest next to the other, darker pool.


End file.
